John Travolta's career drags on

John Travolta is to wear women's clothes for the remake of cult, camp movie 'Hairspray'.

The actor will play Edna Turnblad, while rapper-turned-actress Queen Latifah will take on the role of Motormouth Maybelle.

A nationwide casting search is currently under way to find a newcomer to play the lead character, Tracy Turnblad - portrayed by US TV chat show host Ricki Lake in the 1988 original.

Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron told America's Variety magazine: "It's long been a desire of ours to work with John and to have the opportunity to produce his return to movie musicals after three decades... it's a dream come true.

"And having worked so successfully with Queen Latifah on 'Chicago,' we were looking for the perfect vehicle to re-team. 'Hairspray' presented us with a wonderful opportunity to collaborate once again with our multi-talented friend."

'Hairspray' is based on the 1988 John Waters comedy about star-struck teenagers on a local Baltimore dance show.

The new version of the film will be based the hit Broadway adaptation of the film.

Travolta is no stranger to the genre having burst onto the scene 30 years ago in 'Saturday Night Fever' and 'Grease', before donning his dancing shoes again and ripping up the dance-floor in Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction'.